Because the number of literati in Yingkelou had increased significantly during this period, Meng Zhao took note of it and came up with a plan. He decided to take advantage of the situation to hold a poetry gathering, and the date was set for April 13th.
Five days in advance, Yingkelou posted notices for the poetry gathering at its entrance and also sent people to promote it to major academies in the capital. Since the poetry gathering was open to both men and women, Meng Zhao also sent invitations to several women's poetry gatherings in the capital.
Since it was a poetry gathering, there were naturally prizes. Although gold and silver were a bit vulgar, they were indeed very useful. The first place winner would receive fifty taels of silver, which would probably be enough for an ordinary family to eat and drink for a year. The second and third place winners would each receive twenty taels, which would be enough for several months' expenses. The fourth and fifth place winners would also receive five taels. If one was lucky enough to win, their paper and pen expenses for the following year would be taken care of.
Just as Yingkelou put up the notice, the manager of Wenxin Pavilion happened to come to Yingkelou for a meal. He glanced at the notice about the poetry gathering, and his eyes lit up. He hurriedly grabbed a waiter and said, "Quickly find your manager. I want to add some excitement to your poetry gathering."
To attract people, Meng Zhao spent a lot on the prizes. When he heard that someone was willing to sponsor the event, he naturally invited them over.
Upon seeing Meng Zhao, the man said, "Manager Meng's poetry gathering and efforts to revitalize the literary style are truly admirable. Our shop is willing to offer five sets of Wenxin Pavilion's top-quality brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, as well as a painting of 'Spring Day' by a contemporary master, as a prize. What do you think?"
In ancient times, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were not cheap. Even if the "superior" quality he mentioned was just a gimmick, a set would still cost three or four taels of silver. In addition, there was the painting "Spring Day," which was also the work of a famous artist. What was even more remarkable was that he took the initiative to offer to promote the poetry gathering at various branches of Wenxin Pavilion. How could Meng Zhao refuse such a good offer? It was just a matter of mentioning their names at the poetry gathering. No problem at all.
Therefore, the top five prizes each included a set of writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and the first-place winner also received a painting by a famous artist.
Because the prizes were so tempting, the Yingkelou restaurant was bustling with people on the day of the poetry gathering. The main venue for the poetry gathering was on the second floor. At this time, all the bamboo curtains in the private rooms were rolled up to form an open circular space with a platform in the center. Guests in the surrounding private rooms could see what was happening on the platform.
Meng Zhao, dressed in a light blue silk dress, gracefully stepped onto the stage and said in a loud voice: "I am honored to have all of you talented men and beautiful women grace us with your presence today, gathering at Yingke Tower to exchange poems. It is truly an honor to have you here."
She gently raised her wrist, signaling the staff to open all the wooden windows around her. Instantly, the warm spring sun poured in, and a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers wafted over. The bustling traffic on Zhuque Street in the distance and the flowers, plants, and trees in the courtyard nearby were all within her view.
"Today, let's take the view outside the window as our theme. You can express your feelings through the scenery, or write poems to express your aspirations and showcase your talents."
The private rooms were equipped with writing brushes, ink, paper, tea, and snacks. Some people immediately began to answer the questions after hearing them, while others pondered over how to choose their words and phrases.
Once the poem is finished, hand the paper to the waiter to post it in the lobby on the first floor. All participants have a vote to cast for their favorite poem; the rule is that you cannot vote for yourself.
Meanwhile, all guests who dine at Yingkelou, regardless of the amount of money they spend, can cast a vote for their favorite poem. Those who participate in the voting will also receive a complimentary dish of the restaurant's special refreshing side dishes.
Xu Renyi had just finished posting the poems and lyrics and was explaining the rules to the people in the lobby on the first floor when a burly man scratched his head and exclaimed, "These poems and lyrics, we don't understand them at all, how are they judged?"
Xu Renyi was embarrassed for two seconds upon hearing this, but immediately reacted: "Sir, it doesn't matter if you don't understand, I don't understand either. However, the selection of poems is all about personal preference. You can judge whichever piece of calligraphy pleases you. Calligraphy reflects the person. If the calligraphy is good, the poem will naturally be good too. Don't you agree?"
Upon hearing this, the burly man's face lit up with a smile: "This is good, this is good! Let me take a closer look."
His thick fingers pointed at the poems one by one. "This one won't do. The characters are all clumped together; it looks lifeless!" He pointed to another, "This one isn't much better. I've had some education, so I can recognize some characters, but this is all crooked and illegible!" Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Hey, this one's good! Look at these characters—square and neat, very elegant. I'll submit this one!"
Just as the burly man was about to throw in his ballot, he suddenly heard a contemptuous mutter beside him: "He can't even read cursive script, yet he dares to comment on poetry and lyrics. He really doesn't know his place."
The voice, though soft, was as piercing as a pinprick. The burly man turned his head and saw a young scholar in an indigo-blue robe, a piece of jade hanging from his waist, glancing at him sideways. The burly man was clearly tall, but upon seeing the scholar's attire, he awkwardly withdrew his hand from the ticket.
Xu Renyi, who had been watching closely, quickly stepped forward and said gently, "This gentleman wants to vote for this poem, right? How about I vote for you?" He then reached for the ballot.
Seeing this, the scholar snorted, and the burly man's dark face showed a bit of embarrassment: "Well, let's forget it. I just thought your side dishes looked pretty good and wanted to try them. I really don't understand poetry and lyrics. If I judge them wrong and ruin the future of a proper talent, that wouldn't be good."
Upon hearing this, the scholar raised his chin and said, "You do have some self-awareness."
Xu Renyi turned his head and glanced at the scholar with an awkward appearance. "Young master, when we held the poetry gathering, we stated that all diners would be invited to participate in the selection. Since you are here, you should know this rule."
The scholar, not expecting a waiter to dare to talk back to him so openly, immediately turned pale with anger. "Who do you think you are! How dare you point fingers here? I thought this was a refined place, but who knew it would be so filthy! If I had known, I would never have set foot here!"
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
